Subject of Possible Rule Making: Reducing barriers; review of initial license and endorsement requirements for athletic trainers. To comply with 2SHB 1724 (chapter 425, Laws of 2023), the department of health (department), in collaboration with the athletic training advisory committee, will consider amending WAC 246-916-010 and 246-916-030 to update substantial equivalency and initial licensure rules.

Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: RCW 18.130.077 requires disciplining authorities to waive education, training, experience, and exam requirements for applicants who have been credentialed in another state or states with substantially equivalent standards for at least two years immediately preceding their application with no interruption in licensure for longer than 90 days. The statute also provides disciplining authorities the option to waive education, training, experience, and exam requirements for applicants who have achieved a national certification for their profession. This option allows licensing authorities to consider evidence of a national certification to qualify for an athletic trainer license.

The goal of RCW 18.130.077 and substantial equivalency is to reduce workforce shortages, and reduce licensing barriers for applicants seeking a credential. The department will consider amending WAC 246-916-030 Applicants currently licensed in other states, to bring it into alignment with RCW 18.130.077, and also consider amending WAC 246-916-010 Licensure requirements, to create a pathway for applicants who are nationally certified to qualify for a license.

The department had previously filed a CR-101 as WSR 24-13-078 for rules regarding athletic training, but is withdrawing that and refiling this new one to consider the optional national certification for all athletic training applicants.

Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Allyson McIver, P.O. Box 47852, Olympia, WA 98504-7852, phone 360-236-2878, TTY 711, email allyson.mciver@doh.wa.gov, website www.doh.wa.gov.

Additional comments: Interested parties can participate in the drafting of the proposed rules. The department will be conducting rules workshops with interested parties and subject matter experts. The department will use existing GovDelivery lists and other known contact information to inform interested parties of opportunities to provide input on proposed rule language. To find out more information about our rule making, visit www.doh.wa.gov. To subscribe to GovDelivery, please visit www.doh.wa.gov, and select the "Subscribe" button at the bottom of the page. After signing in, please click open the box labeled "Health Systems Quality Assurance." Next, click open the box labeled "Health Professions" and then click on "Athletic Training." You may also check the box next to one or more of the other professions listed to received information related to that specific profession.